On World Environment Day, Join Us in Studying ‘Choosing Earth’

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The United Nations is commemorating World Environment Day, on Sunday, June 5, with the theme #OnlyOneEarth. The campaign calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.  Here is a short video with more information on World Environment Day.

Our Local Campaign

At New Mexico El Paso Region Interfaith Power & Light,  we are observing World Environment Day by encouraging the study of Choosing Earth. by Duane Elgin. The book examines the challenges facing humanity—from increasingly severe climate change and resource exhaustion to escalating social injustices and the rising threat of authoritarianism—and calls for a radical transformation in how we live on the planet.

Inviting us into a “wide, deep, and long” view of our present moment and what lies ahead, Elgin urges the human community to open to the transformative work of facing grief and loss, and to work for reconciliation and healing of injustices.

Here is a PDF version  of the book.

Companion Documentary

Watch a 70-minute film. entitled “Facing Adversity: Choosing Earth, Choosing Life . 

A Nun’s Life Podcast with Sr. Joan Brown: Where is God Calling You?

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Sister Joan Brown, OSF, shares insights for discering God’s call in confusing times. Sister Joan is Executive Director of New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light. Hear the full In Good Faith episode IGF045 at aNunsLife.org.

Listen on this site

Rule Would Require that Investors to Know About Climate Risks

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The Securities and Exchange Commission is proposing a rule to require public companies to disclose to investors and the federal government how their operations affect the climate, and how they are addressing climate risks. This is excellent news and will be a big step forward in helping us all hold companies accountable for their climate impacts and risks.

But large corporations and their congressional allies are gearing up to fight it. Please send a public comment urging the SEC to adopt this rule.

Climate change poses enormous financial and economic risks, and publicly traded companies have a major role in our economy. Are they preparing for climate change? Are they reducing their own emissions? We don’t have a good way of knowing that right now.

If passed, this rule will require companies to report climate data annually in their shareholder reports and in stock registration information.

Across society, individuals, small businesses, local governments, and faith communities are trying to be good stewards, reducing our carbon footprints, using renewable energy where we can, and helping to prepare our communities to be more climate resilient.

But we need large publicly traded companies to be responsible as well, and this rule will give us the transparency to know what they are doing and push them to do better. Furthermore, investors will be able to make better choices, investing in companies that are taking action to reduce emissions and protect us all from climate disasters.

Please urge the SEC to adopt this rule.

(Please Note: The Deadline is May 20!)

There are only a few more days to comment, and large businesses are fighting it, threatening lawsuits, and claiming the SEC doesn’t have the right to require this important information. That’s why we need to have thousands of comments of support submitted by people of faith and conscience.

Investors and other market participants, including you and me, deserve to have all the information they need to make sure our investments are aligned with our values.

Tell the SEC that we deserve to know how climate change affects our investments in public companies.